At times I hear my colleagues chatting with the cleaners in our building. I used to feel a little uncomfortable and tongue-tied in these moments because they reminded me of my privilege as a person who works in an office and who has her waste bin emptied for her. Instead of making conversation like my colleagues did, I used to only mumble, ‘How are you?’ and ‘Thank you.’ One day, one of the cleaners took the initiative to talk to me. 

Now, every day he greets me by name and makes me smile. He is kind and funny and asks about my friends and the work I do. In return, I wave and say hello – asking him how his day is going and telling him that I hope I will see him the next day. This friendship is a gift of God’s grace that I neither expected nor initiated.

My new friend’s kindness reminds me of the importance of venturing out of my comfort zone to seek relationships with the people around me. As he and I talk, I am reminded that being recognised, called by name and appreciated are blessings that I receive from God and from others. When we remember that God calls us by name and seeks a relationship with us, we, in turn, can offer the gifts of appreciation and recognition to those around us.

 

Prayer: Loving God, open our eyes and ears to those around us. Remind us to call others by name as you have called us. Amen